So much is happening in this world around us! In everything you look at, taste, smell, hear, and everywhere you poke your head, there is some pretty sweet stuff happening. And what common factor do all of these things have? God has a hand in it all! God is so good to me and here is what I am into this week...

HOCKEY

This time of year is my favorite! The days are getting warmer and longer (most days at least are getting warmer), trees and flowers are waking up, baseball in the greatest baseball city is happening, and hockey! If I have any free time, it’s checking out hockey. From coaching some 8U Spring League hockey that’s happening right now, to watching the highest level of hockey and everywhere in between. It’s prime hockey time. Even though our own hometown Blues didn’t make it in this year, there is some really great playoff hockey to watch right now, like REALLY great! There have been some really physical matchups and might I add that a lot of these post season matchups have been pretty equal. We have had five overtime games so far and two double overtime games. That’s some great hockey! If you don’t get into the regular season as much, take a chance and pick a team for the playoffs and stick with them, root for them, cheer them on, and get into this action. I like watching hockey so much that I have several teams I’m really watching out for right now. And in the end, I just want to see some good games, some close games, and some physical post season hockey going down.

EELS

If you haven’t heard anything about Eels or Mark Oliver Everett, you are surely missing out on some beautiful, thoughtful, sad, happy, dark, and complicated music. And that’s just a few ways to describe some of the stuff that Mark puts out. Here’s another take on it… “The album is somewhat of a musical and philosophical rollercoaster. But that’s all in a day’s work for Everett who adds to his already impressive, uncompromising catalog with another expressive, rugged and diverse gem. It’s not always an easy listen but anything worthwhile generally isn’t and kudos to Everett for having the guts and musical fortitude to pull it off … as he always has.”

All I can say is check these guys out. They are playing some jazz/blues/lounge style stuff that’s really cool, right here in our city. Check them out here.

The Maness Brothers

These guys are my current favorite STL band. In the vein of sludgy Black Sabbath type riffs, meet Scott H. Biram and Black Keys, to some tasty blues driven licks. They got all I want from a two piece band. The guitar tone kills! The driving drums kills! It’s a total package from two brothers. “Brothers Jake and David Maness grew up in O'Fallon, Missouri on a steady diet of Hendrix and Canned Heat. The obvious end to a childhood of rock & roll is a band, but it took the Maness Brothers twenty some-odd years to start writing together.”

Check them out if you see them playing ANYWHERE, or check them out here.

Daybringer

This instrumental STL band includes The Gathering’s own Brian Behr. These guys are sweet! “Daybringer is an instrumental quintet hailing from St. Louis, Missouri. Pure sonic saturation accompanies thoughtful composition to portray intimate waves of sound and fury, alike. Moments of dynamic shifts feel natural and very musical, with no hints of pretension or predictability. Best paired with introspection.”

Another great heavy band from right here in STL. Path of Might is full of riffs, lots of riffs. They are one band that gives you a mix of melodic almost prog rock and a mix of pure metal. With “Hallowed Gate Style”, Path of Might adds some melody and grace to the punishing might of their debut, but more importantly cements the trio as an act who, in time, could equal or even eclipse their diverse influences.

This is a cool church that’s doing some real cool, good stuff for the people around Orange County, CA. The lead pastor Jay Haizlip brings some good sermons. They’re bringing the word of Christ to the people. The good word. Some good worship. And one of my favorite pro skaters as a kid, Christian Hosoi, is the outreach pastor, so it has to be pretty cool, right?

Well, that’s just a little taste of what is rattling around in my head and flowing through my veins today. Check some of it out! And this time of year, with good weather coming, is the best time to check out some live music. Go check some out! It’ll help you live a longer life.